One Year Later...It was one year ago that I was having surgery for cancer on my vocal cords.

It has been a long journey to this point and I am sure there will be other hurdles to cross as I move along.I continue to try and improve my ability to be understood when I speak.

During my prayer times I will read the bible out loud to be able to pronounce the words correctly. My last blood work showed that everything was fine.

I am so thankful for my wife and family and my church who have encouraged me to continue doing what God has called me to do.

Are there times that I want to quit? Of course. Each Sunday when I put the rubber hands free holder in my throat it is very painful. It takes a while for the pain to subside. It is in those times I want to quit, but it is also in those times I am reminded of the verse. Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

This weekend, at church, is our annual Back To School Bash. Last year I had to miss it. This year I am thankful to be a part of it. If I could sing, I would sing, "To God Be the Glory". I can make a joyful sound and so I will say it the best I can, "To God Be the Glory".

Be encouraged today. Be patient. Hold fast to the profession of your faith.

Be Blessed,
Rick

I am putting a couple pictures on here that show a "then" and "now".

The Journey continues……

Each day brings new challenges. I am finding that my voice is getting better but at times the device I use to hold the hands free device in does not want to stay in place.

I am looking into that to see if there is something that can be done or it may be that it is just going take more time for everything to continue to heal. It has been almost six months since I had surgery but less than two months since my last radiation treatment.

Time is a valuable healing agent no matter what kind of healing is taking place in our lives whether it is physical, emotional, mental, financial or anything else.

What is it that is healing or in need of healing in your life? Is there a relationship that has gone sour with a family member or friend? Is there a physical healing that needs to take place? Maybe it is something that you can hardly talk about, that hurts so much, but still needs healing. Whatever it is, Jesus and time can and will be your best friend.

I was looking at some pictures of me right after surgery that Jason, my oldest son, had taken. I had not seen them up until just this past week. I had him send them to me so I could see the difference of then and now. Let me say it here, “What a difference!” Time does make a difference.

I am not going to post those pictures; you will just have to take my word for it.

The Bible states, Psalms 139:14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. NLT He made us to heal.

I want to encourage you today to let His healing process take place in your life in whatever area needs to be healed.

Jesus is “The Healer”. Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. NLT

What Journey are you on? Whatever it is, if healing is needed in that Journey, it can take place.

Be Blessed,
Rick

It is going to be a very good year.......

It is hard to believe that 2011 has ended and we have started a New Year. Last year brought some major changes in my life and I found God to be faithful in them all.

I am thrilled to be able to say, "To God be the glory, great things He has done".

I am now able to use my hands free device for speaking all day long. That, of course, would mean that my "stoma" (hole in my neck) has healed up.

I have found that I do have some inflection in my voice and I am sure that will only get better as time goes along.

I have had several opportunities to minister to other cancer patients that were undergoing some of the similar treatments that I have gone through. Some have visited the church and we have had opportunity to anoint them with oil and pray for them.

I am back to speaking on Sunday mornings and will speak on Sunday nights as well whenever we don't have a guest speaker. I am so grateful for all the ministers that filled in for me during my surgery and recovery. My brother Don filled in for almost three months on Sunday morning while I was recovering.

The first Sunday morning of the New Year before I went to speak, I felt the Lord, by His Spirit, speak to me and say, "This will be a year of recovery for Salem Assembly of God".

I am excited to see all the recovery that will take place in the lives of those in the church.

Perhaps there is something in your life that needs recovered. Begin now to trust God to recover what has seemed to be lost.

It is going to be a very good year!

Be Blessed,

Rick